Expert: Barbara K. Acchino - 5/12/2008

Question
I purchased a Boye Tatting shuttle on the original card marked 29 cents.  I was trying to find out how old this was and what it might be worth.  It says "Boye" Improved, made in USA and The Boye Needle Co. Chicago on one side and "Boye" Improved and More Thread - Less Knots on the other side.  Any clue how to get this info?

Answer
Hello Holly.  I consulted two books on shuttles:  Tatting Shuttles of American Collectors by Heidi Nakayama and Tatting Shuttles Related Tools & Accessories by Pam Palmer.  Neither one discusses Boye shuttles as they were quite utilitarian and common.  The shuttles that are collectible and have value are the ones that are made of different materials (silver, ivory, bone, etc.) or highly decorated (inlay work, enameling, etc.).  Boye was a prolific producer of sewing item, which affects value, as there are many examples out there.  You may be able to search the internet or your local library for specific information about the Boye company or search the government patents database to see if you can identify when the object was made.  Sorry I can't be of more help with this.  Barb